Lees, Ambrose George Albert (1877-1945)

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1930
Primitive Methodist Magazine 1930

Early years

Ambrose was born in 1877 at Burntwood, nr Lichfield, Staffordshire, to parents David and Mary. David, a coal miner, was a local preacher. Three sons became ministers; Ambrose and David were Primitive Methodists and James in the Methodist Episcopal Church of America.

Ambrose became a Sunday School teacher at the age of fourteen, a local preacher at eighteen and an evangelist at twenty. For three years he served in industrial and agricultural societies in the West Midlands and Shrewsbury Districts. He then served a term as a hired local preacher on the Llanymynech circuit before entering circuit ministry in 1901.

Ministry

His obituary records that Ambrose was a striking example of a devoted circuit minister, entering into the lives of his people, understanding their difficulties, winning their confidence, and proving himself a wise counsellor and loyal friend. His preaching was forceful and directed to the winning of men and women to the service of Christ, and in this he much success.

He had outstanding business ability, and by wise administration built up the life of his circuits and left them stronger for his ministry.

In 1944 Ambrose retired to Nantwich and so long as strength allowed engaged actively in the work of the circuit.

Family

Ambrose married Frances Gertrude Parkinson (1878-1958) in the summer of 1905 at Burn Cross, nr Ecclesfield, Yorkshire.

  • Ambrose Parkinson (1906-1984) – an ironmonger (1945)
  • Eric David (1909-1983) – a lay pastor (1945); Methodist minister (1958)

Ambrose died on 18 November 1945 at Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

Circuits

  • 1901 Foxhill Bank
  • 1905 Barnsley II
  • 1908 Shrewsbury
  • 1911 Whitchurch
  • 1916 St Helens
  • 1921 Earlstown
  • 1925 Oldhill
  • 1929 W Bromwich I
  • 1932 Birmingham VI
  • 1935 Nantwich &c
  • 1941 Chester Tarvin Rd
  • 1944 Nantwich (S)

References

Primitive Methodist Magazine 1930/251

Methodist Minutes 1946/132

W Leary, Directory of Primitive Methodist Ministers and their Circuits, 1990

Census Returns and Births, Marriages & Deaths Registers

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